The Iris Petal
by RodIldKitsune
Summary: Ayame's crushed when she catches Kagome and Kouga together, but what could they have done that hurt her so much, and will Kouga ever figure out how much it hurts her? R&R!


**_Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I never have and I never will... Okay?_**

_A/n: K. Here's another one-shot w/ the 'ol Kouga/ Ayame coupling... Enjoy!_

Red pigtails flapping wildly in the breeze, all her hopes and dreams seemed to go sailing from her, dancing in the wind. She bent to her haunches, green eyes narrowing as she brushed a lock of fur in place on her vest.

"Giggling." She whispered, wolfish ears the air at the sound.

Tears weld in her eyes as a feeling of betrayal overwhelmed her. Anger flooded her heart, jealousy burned bright in her eyes.

"Damn you Kouga." She hissed, rising to her feet, "Why bother loving you?"

She quickly turned her back to them and raced away.

The incessant giggles emanating from Kagome had more than told him she appreciated his action. He was so caught up in the bubbly sound of her laugh that he almost didn't catch the glint of red from the cliff face. Almost.

He turned to face the mountainside, but whatever had caused the flash of red was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a simple flower replaced it, fluttering slowly to the ground.

"A perfect flower for a perfect beauty." Kouga thought, racing up to the blossom and snatching it from the air.

He stared at it as it rested in his palm. A brilliant parade of blues and purples: where had he seen it before? The wind shifted directions; carrying scents Kouga had missed previously. And though faint, he could undeniably detect Ayame's scent.

A soft curse escaped his lips as he glared back at the cliff, crushing the iris in his fist. Had she seen all that had happened between Kagome and him?

Though he had no idea, he knew one thing for sure. She had been there.

One look at Kouga's disturbed expression, and she knew something was very wrong. Kagome stepped cautiously toward him, studying the soft iris petals peaking from his grasp. The familiarity of the once full blossom triggered something in her mind, but she couldn't pick out what.

"Ayame." Kouga finally muttered, green-blue eyes settling on her face, "I think she saw us."

Realization flushed Kagome's face red as her brown eyes fixed on the crushed petals.

'_What am I doing?_' she mentally questioned herself, eyebrows kneading, '_I didn't do anything! Kouga came on to me first!_'

But ignorance would not hide her today, for she was just as guilty as he for returning his action.

"You should go to her." Kagome finally murmured, running her fingers through raven hair.

She was still at a lost for words.

"Why?" Kouga grunted in reply, "I don't love her, she's nothing like you, my love."

He grasped the human girl's hand in his, pulling her closer to embrace, but the miko blushed and yanked away.

"Well if you don't love her, at least realize she loves you!"

Kouga stepped back, head slightly to the side at her words.

"And realize," Kagome whispered, more to herself than him, "that I love Inuyasha."

The very mention of that insolent pup's name filled with such tenderness made a hatred flame inside him, but he knew she was right.

A solemnly defeated Kouga began to walk away.

"Alright Kagome, " he called back, " you win this one, but I'll win your heart from that insolent pup one way or another."

He raced off leaving a beet-red Kagome staring after him.

* * *

The river trickled coolly over throbbing toes, but though the water was a freezing temperature, her blood still boiled inside. Why was she so mad? She knew how Kouga felt about Kagome; she knew there was no chance for her in his world. But actual evidence of this truth was more unbearable than just pure though. She was his fiancée damn it! Why was she being treated this way?

_Ker-plunk! _A pebble landed next to her with a small splash, sending ripples vibrating in all directions. The wolf demoness turned, her green eye widened when they rested upon Kouga himself.

A slight toothy smirk and a malicious gleam in his eye made him look alarmingly dangerous. Alarming, because Ayame felt the strong desire to tame him.

She lifted to her feet and walked east along the riverbank, a nonchalant mask planted on her face. Kouga watched her coolly, wondering if he'd been wrong to leave Kagome. Ayame didn't seem upset at all.

"Ayame?" he acknowledged, though his tone made it sound more like an inquiry, "Are you okay?"

Ayame paused to face him, her countenance struggling to stay calm. She wanted to scream in pure wrath, accuse him of betrayal, but she would not give him the honor of seeing her hurt.

"Yes," she responded, "I'm fine. Why?"

But Kouga could see the anger blaze in her eyes, hear the bitterness in her voice, smell the sour scent of rage. Kagome had been right.

"Because you came to visit and you never said hello."

He held his hand and clenched between his fingers was a soft blue iris petal.

Ayame reached up to her left pigtail, letting out a soft swear, as her slender fingers touched nothing but hair. He must have known she had seen. So she decided to do what she thought best… Composedly make him hurt as much as she.

"It's hard to want to talk to someone if you don't think they'll answer back."

One of Kouga's jet black eyebrows lifted to the sky.

"And what would make you say that?"

Ayame's brow furrowed, her fist clenched and her face reddened. She was no idiot!

"Because it's pretty hard to talk when your tongue is shoved down some other woman's throat!" she screeched, no longer bothering to contain her fury.

'_So she had seen,_'Kouga confirmed taking a step toward her.

It was only a simple kiss, one he had longed for since he laid eyes on Kagome. How he relished the moment when the priestess's lips met his, and hesitantly returned his passion; a moment he'd not soon forget. However, now, as he witnessed the damage those few fleeting moments had caused, he was filled with unwanted regret, and wished he could take it back.

"I'm sorry…" was all he could manage to stutter.

Ayame's head bent low in defeat as she allowed her emotions to overwhelm her. Her fingers gnarled into a dangerous position, her claws gleamed maliciously.

"But Kouga," she said softly, too softly, "why are you sorry?"

She stepped toward him, her hand slowly rising.

"You shouldn't be sorry…"

She charged toward him, aiming a lethal blow at his face as she hissed, "_IT WAS ONLY A KISS!_"

But Kouga deftly raced out of her path, swooping her up from behind and pinning her to his chest. Arms locked by her side, she squirmed and wiggled to get loose, but to no avail.

"Damn you Kouga," she whispered, relaxing into his tight hold, "damn you."

Kouga loosed his grip on Ayame, but kept held of her. Being this close to his acclaimed fiancée made him strangely comfortable, and a sweet floral scent he scarcely noticed wafted to his nose. And though she was no Kagome, he couldn't help but admire her beauty as the sun caught the glint of red hair.

The blood drained from her face as she rested quietly in her love's arms. The white-hot heat of rage slipped away, replacing with the warm, sensual sensation of his limbs wrapped around her. How she wished she could stop time.

"Ayame." Kouga whispered, the demon female snuggling into his chest.

But though his brain screamed to let her go, he continued to hold her close, his heart screaming other things. He sighed. Her soft body pressed underneath him was more than he could handle. His body ached and his heart beat so fast he thought he might explode.

'_What are you doing? This isn't Kagome? You came here to cheer her up, to let her down easy! You can't be growing soft… cough hard, at a time like this!_'

He abruptly stepped away from Ayame, sending her spinning to her bum. He turned to walk away, not quite sure where he was heading to, but wishing to be away from her. Away from those shocking green eyes and perplexing red hair.

He stopped. What was he doing? He was probably hurting her more than ever. He had no chance with Kagome. He looked back at Ayame.

Ayame rose to her feet and dusted off her dress. She watched silently as Kouga walked away from her, tears threatening to fall. She was so jealous of Kagome at the moment. She had stood there in Kouga's arms, thought she could feel a _reaction _to passion emerging from Kouga, but the way he threw her to the ground said something else.

'_Oh come on! Are you going to give up THAT easily? You're a wolf demon, destined to marry Kouga and you're going to let him slip away that easily?'_

"No," she answered herself, taking a step for Kouga, "No I'm not!"

She broke off into a run, racing towards her prize as he turned towards her. But he had no time to realize what was happening, for she knocked him over and pinned him to the grass, enrapturing his mouth into a fiery kiss.

Pure passion surged through her body as it tingled from Kouga's fingers wrapping around her waist. White-hot sparks engulfed her heart and clouded her mind, better judgment flying out the window as the kissed deepened. And slowly, she parted her lips.

Explosions lit in Kouga's mind like firecrackers, blinding him as electric desire burned inside him. Pure shock was quickly swallowed as he struggled to keep up with the lust-driven Ayame, and he never felt more complete. Not even as his fingers slipped up his dress did he feel this was wrong. Kagome had completely left his mind. Ayame had won.

* * *

When Kouga's eyes finally parted, the saw nothing but darkness. Night had fallen during there "exploration" until the finally fell into a peaceful slumber. Kouga turned to Ayame, still not quite over the shock of what had just happened. Could this mean a new relationship between Ayame and him?

He watched her breath, slowly and rhythmic, he knew she was fast asleep. He rose to his feet and walked away. He needed to think.

* * *

Dawn raised the sleepy Ayame as she blinked in the new daylight. She looked next to her to see Kouga gone. Disappointment filled her heart. She thought she had gotten him this time. She walked into the surrounding forest, picking the air for Kouga's scent.

'_Behind you._'

She swiveled around to be face to face with Kouga, who quickly wrapped her in a hug. She breathed a sigh of relief as she realized Kouga hadn't really left her. Or had he?

"Ayame. I'm sorry."

She inhaled sharply, nuzzling into her love's chest.

"Sorry? For what?"

Kouga pulled away, taking every bit of strength he had to do so.

"I'm sorry Ayame, but we can not be right now."

Ayame stared at him in disbelief. What was he getting at?

"What?" she asked, stunned.

"I have pledged to avenge my comrades and I cannot let love get in the way. I'm sorry."

And with those final words, he raced off from her, leaving her mind swept away in the rushing wind tunnel. But somehow, she felt a little closer to Kouga. Because not only did she completely understand, but also he had said something that she'd carry forever.

Yes, she was hurt, but she didn't care as she lingered on Kouga's last words.

_I cannot let love get in the way. _

Love. He had said love. So he shared Ayame's feelings? Or was it just another way of letting her down easy.

'_Don't be silly. He's going to marry you if it's the last thing you do!_'

"Yea," she snickered, "just think, if I could get this close to him, imagine what I can do next time!"

_A/n: Yep. That's it. You didn't think I'd make them all happy and together forever did you! Well anyway, remember, if you read, REVIEW! Arigatou!_


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